RBI Grade B Descriptive Writing: Pattern, Marking and Practice
Last updated: 2026-11-06 · MockMentor
Descriptive answers carry 200 of the 300 Phase-II marks in RBI Grade B: 50 in ESI, 50 in Finance and Management (FM) and 100 in English. They are typed, not handwritten, so speed, structure and typing practice matter as much as knowledge.
The pattern
| Paper | Descriptive questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-I: Economic and Social Issues (ESI) | 6 questions, attempt 4 (two of 15 marks, two of 10 marks) | 50 | 90 minutes |
| Paper-II: English (Writing Skills) | 3 questions | 100 | 90 minutes |
| Paper-III: Finance and Management (FM) | 6 questions, attempt 4 (two of 15 marks, two of 10 marks) | 50 | 90 minutes |
Three rules from RBI's advertisement worth remembering:
- In ESI and FM, if you answer more than 4 questions, only the first 4 are evaluated. Choose before you start writing.
- The two 15-mark questions are of varying difficulty, so read all six before deciding.
- Answers are typed. Candidates answering in Hindi can use either the Inscript or the Remington (GAIL) keyboard layout.
How to structure an answer
A clear structure helps the examiner find your points quickly. A well-structured answer has:
- A short introduction that defines the term or sets the context, in two or three lines.
- A body in clear points or short paragraphs, each making one argument, with a fact, figure, scheme, report or circular where it fits.
- Both sides where the question asks you to examine, analyse or critically evaluate.
- A conclusion or way forward that answers the question asked, not a summary of the body.
Fit the length to the marks: a 15-mark answer needs more points and evidence than a 10-mark answer, not just more words.
How to practise
- Type every practice answer in timed conditions, as you will in the exam.
- Mix static and current topics. Questions combine syllabus concepts with schemes, reports, the Union Budget, the Economic Survey and RBI or SEBI circulars. The Phase 2 subject pages list the topics asked in 2023–2026.
- Get your answers evaluated and rewrite the weakest ones. Feedback on what was missing teaches more than writing new answers.
In MockMentor's Descriptive Writing Programme, you write in an exam-like interface with a running timer and the word limit displayed; it auto-submits when the limit is reached. Every answer gets step-by-step, exam-relevant marking, returned within 48 hours.
Results
In 2025, MockMentor students scored the highest descriptive marks in both papers: Kumari Deeksha (AIR 2) scored 39 in Finance and Management descriptive, and Hari Vishal (AIR 11) scored 36 in ESI descriptive along with the highest overall Phase 2 score. Read their topper profiles.
Free material
The free resources page has a video lecture on descriptive writing, the Descriptive Writing Ultimate Guide, a guide to writing conclusions, a sample evaluation and toppers' evaluated answers, plus a free trial attempt.
Source for the pattern: RBI advertisement for Officers in Grade B (DR), Panel Year 2026.
Prepare with MockMentor
RBI Grade A/B Descriptive Writing Programme (₹5,000) – Exam-like answer writing with step-by-step evaluation within 48 hours. 365 days validity.